19th Kurzeme Storytellers Festival “Ziv Zup”

Join us for the 19th KurzemeStorytellers Festival “Ziv Zup” on April 25 and 26 in Kuldīga

On April 25 and 26, 2025 the 19th KurzemeStorytellers Festival “Ziv Zup” will take place in Kuldīga. This year's theme is “The Latvian and His Boulder”. The festival invites you to explore storytelling as a living tradition, where memories, experiences, and creativity converge.

The festival will begin on Friday, April 25 with the Stone Trail. Gathering at 1:00 PMin Kuldīga's town square by the clock. The trail will weave past significant stones inKuldīga – participants will have the opportunity to learn the stories and secretsassociated with them, as well as complete various tasks.

At 4:30 PMthe exhibition “Glimmering” will be opened at the Social Services Center “Tilts”, on Liepājas Street 14. The authors of the works are from the Day Care Center “Tilts”,the day care center in Dzelda, Kuldīga Art School, and the ViduskurzemePrimary School Development Center. At 5:00 PM, a storytelling concert“The Latvian and His Boulder” will begin there, featuring Latvian storytellers andstoryteller Roswitha Menke from Germany. The Kurzeme Storytellers Festival “Ziv Zup” isincluded in the 25th-anniversary calendar of the Storytelling Academy “Goldmund”, as “ZivZup” originated from a joint project, and later, “Goldmund” members have frequently been guests.

On Saturday, April 26 from 10:00 to 11:30 AM at the Kuldīga Community House, Ventspils Street 16, a masterclass “Creativity That Inspires” will be held by professional text writer and storyteller Roswitha Menke (https://www.roswithamenke.de/), in German with translation into Latvian, free entry.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard of “Kūrava” from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM “Tale Park” will be open – games and workshopsfor families and enthusiasts: Enchanting Fishing, Stacking the Weir, Magic Soup, MemoryForest, Measure for Measure, Stone Teas, and Clay Rhythms.

From 1:00 to 3:00 PM there will be the Story Café “The Loach Doesn't Sleep”. The festival “Ziv Zup” supporters and participants include: Latvian Storytellers Association, Kuldīga Cultural Center, Saldus Folklore Group “Medainis”, Folklore Ensemble “Basu Suiti”, Social Services Center “Tilts”, “Kamenes Samtenes Academy”,“čEtras garšaS”, potter Ilona Šauša, the Svilpe family, storytellers from Kuldīga, Ventspils, Talsi, and Saldus, and guest of honor from Germany, Roswitha Menke.

The festival is organized by the association “Kūrava” and the Kurzeme Cultural HeritageCenter.

Both locals and visitors are invited. Feel free to come with friends, as well as families and children.